1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to door locking assemblies and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, it relates to improvements in household door lock assemblies which enable an adjustable lock-break function.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art includes very few teachings which are directed to locking assemblies specifically embodying a lock-break capability. This probably results from the fact that such function is anti-thetical in and of itself, but nevertheless such capability can be extremely valuable as evidenced by the numerous problems encountered relative to locking intra-household doors and the propensity for curious, small children to manipulate such devices. The closest prior art known at this time appears to be U.S. Pat. No. 2,472,174 which teaches a form of break-away lock assembly that embodies a lock destruction function; however, the present invention offers much advantage and improvements in design considerations relative to the early teachings.